I do so agree with the clip! I am a Surgeon as well. Wouldn't it be the greatest 'luxury' to just take care of patients and love the art of taking a history, examining patients and counselling them about their illness and proceeding with their care without worrying about all the insurance garbage, denials, etc.? I dream of that! I remember being a resident, when the greatest objective was to provide the best and most responsible care that you could - the recognition of your diligence was the way you got ahead and the recognition of that by colleagues was the greatest accolade. The present system destroys that in a kind of perverted system of 'pay for performance' and 'outcomes management' scheme designed to exclude care to the 'safest' but not necessarily the best treatments.

You look a bit like John Cleese in that photo...Also, did anyone else notice the inserted blue frames with (I think) 'Overated' written on them in white? I noticed them while Sid and Lisa Plymate were speaking

Hi Ramona, I have reviewed your blog and i loved the way you organize the information on medical education. I would like to add you on my website medicalschool.org. The name itself tells about our work and mission. We are promoting this website through link exchange program. And you are most welcome to post article on my website. So if possible, i would love to be on your blog. In this way you can help us in promoting our website that is absolutely for no profit purpose. Please reply me back with your interest level.

I'm gonna assume the above comment was meant for Ramona Bates at Suture For A Living. Med students have lots on their minds, so we should forgive -- or even expect -- a little confusion once in a while.

Hey, Sid, I snapped a really lousy photo of Merritt Hospital from the 12th floor today, posted it at http://spindyeknit.com/2009/11/ucsf-medical-center/ and thought you might enjoy seeing your old stomping grounds, blurry as it is.

Hi Dr. Schwab. Sorry it's not about public option, per se, but I can't find a link to email you... I believe you and I know a certain RNFA in common named Joannie. She speaks very highly of you. And I think very highly of her. Like you I am retired from full time practice in general surgery at Prov (what name have they concocted for the place this month?) and now devote the bulk of my time to raising my brood of three. I gave up sleepless nights for abdominal sepsis in favor of sleepless nights for my adoring children. Post some more, eh? What do you think of the impending health care legislation?

Hi, E Wall. Yes, I've heard of you (Elizabeth, right?) and the fact that for a while you did what I did, after my "retirement," namely the hospitalist gig. I wrote about it on this blog, and liked it a lot. Would have kept at it but it was sort of a time-limited arrangement, with a full-timer coming in a few months. Here's another post about it, too.

Indeed Joanie was the best. I wrote about her in one of the very first posts on this blog, which was, in fact, lifted from a chapter in my book. I miss her, and much about my former life. Much, but hardly all.

My email contact used to be on my profile page. I guess I must have removed it. I just put it back, and it can be accessed via the "view my complete profile" under the "about me" thing on the right of the blog.

I'm of several minds on the impending legislation: as I've written, I actually favor single payer, since I can't for the life of me think of a reason we need private insurers sucking all that money out of the system. I'm sure there'll be all sorts of unintended consequences, and there's precious little in meaningful cost control. I'm an advocate for "effectiveness research," and would like to see it actually happen. But demagoguery wins the day.

Hello Dr SidThanks for dropping by my little blogspace and taking the time to leave a comment about my Doo Wop post. Is there a glitch of some kind or haven't you posted an entry on this blog since October 2009?

I like what you've done with the site. I've added it to my reading list. I've always considered myself very knowledgeable about human anatomy and general medicine or science but I know zilch about surgery except the procedures performed on ME. I've had a few.

Always happy to meet another Doo Wop fan. See you around out here somewhere.

Well, in brief, I don't really have a problem with it. As I've said many ways and many times on my other blog, I think the Senate rules, as now being used and abused, are making our country ungovernable. And I don't think there's any bill the Republicans would vote for as long as Obama is president, lest he get any credit. (Nor, of course, did they do anything about health care when they had control for many years.)

I guess I wish there could be a bill that would garner some R support. On the other hand, I don't think they really have serious ideas, centrally. Market forces, and malpractice reform. The former is why we're screwed, the latter, while necessary, is over-rated as a cause of our cost crisis.

So I don't have a problem with it. Only with the people claiming, falsely, that it wasn't used by Rs (except on Bush's tax cuts, and many others, for which all the current Rs now screaming, voted using reconciliation.)

This doesn't belong on this post, but I'll use it anyway since it's most recent.

Just thought you should know that the Grey's Anatomy writers picked up your chromic suture story. Of course, it may be that you are a secret consultant and so wrote in your own story. Either way, I got really excited halfway through when I figured out what was going on!

Sid, looking forward to your return (still). While you have written about many topics, I do not feel your work is yet done.

In spite of the chest thumping about Health Insurance (not health care) Reform, access to care for many will remain an issue for years to come.

I would be interested in your thoughts on how to improve access to both primary and specialty care.

The solutions will not come from Washington-and I doubt they will come from organized medicine given the following stats:California has the largest (~35,000members)Medical Association in the country, followed by Texas. Interestingly,these same two states have the largest numbers of federally designated Medically Underserved Areas, so improving access does not seem to be a priority

Dr. Schwab, I just wanted to let you know how much I loved reading your blog and how sorry I am that I found it after you seem to be finished with it. After reading through your sampler, I raced to Amazon to buy your book. It will be here in a few days and I'm really looking forward to it.

I think you need to travel to UK and France to see what you are missing. People who stay in one country, I find them really narrow minded and on this occasion arrogant. I guess you missed the points of Micheal Moore's Sicko. No one health care system is perfect but there are a whole bunch which are a whole lot better than USA's.

Dear Dr. Sid, I found your blog because I googled your brilliant Aunt, Mildred Schwab. Thanks so much for that article about her. I've been enjoying reading the rest of your blog too and just felt compelled to write: COOL! It's rare (really!) to read so many interesting cases from a surgeon's viewpoint. Generous..! I hope you return to blogging. Meanwhile..thanks, again.Celeste

we do so agree with the clip! we a Surgeon as well. Wouldn't it be the greatest 'luxury' to just take care of patients and love the art of taking a history, examining patients and counselling them about their illness and proceeding with their care without worrying about all the insurance garbage, denials, etc.? I dream of that! I remember being a resident, when the greatest objective was to provide the best and most responsible care that you could - the recognition of your diligence was the way you got ahead and the recognition of that by colleagues was the greatest accolade. The present system destroys that in a kind of perverted system of 'pay for performance' and 'outcomes management' scheme designed to exclude care to the 'safest' but not necessarily the best treatments.

I'm a Finnish 4th year (Finnish medical school takes 6 years) medical student wishing to become a surgeon one day. Thank you so much for your wonderful blog, you have inspired and given me even more determination to become a surgeon.

Sid...Dr Schwab, we were stationed together in Vietnam. I remember the night you were injured. A "122 Rocket" struck your barracks and you were thrown out of your bed and you Fx'ed your clavicle, it wasn't a good night. Congratulations on your book and your successful career as a Surgeon. I remember your passion. I am a RN in Northern California Email : rntoo@sbcglobal.net Dan Fruge

About Me

Boring, Unoriginal, but Important Disclaimer:

What I say here is as true as I can make it, based on my experience as a surgeon. Still, in no way is it intended as specific medical advice for any condition. For that, you need to consult your own doctors, who actually know you. I hope you'll find things of interest and amusement here; maybe useful information. But please, please, PLEASE understand: this blog ought not be used in any way to provide the reader with ideas about diagnosis or treatment of any symptoms or disease. Also, as you'd expect, when I describe patients, I've changed many personal details: age, sex, occupation -- enough to make them into no one you might actually know. Thanks, and enjoy the blog.